THE WORLDWIDE PROBLEM OF DRUG ABUSE HAS REACHED EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS AMONG ALL SOCIAL CLASSES IN VENEZUELA. SINCE LEGAL REPRESSION HAS PROVED INEFFECTIVE, DRUG ADDICTS, BEHAVIOR SHOULD BE VIEWED AS MENTALLY ILL, RATHER THAN AS CRIMINAL, AND THEY SHOULD UNDERGO MEDICAL TREATMENT. EXTENSIVE DATA ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE DRUG PROBLEM WERE COLLECTED AND TABULATED IN AN EFFORT TO FIND NEW SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM. DRUG-RELATED CRIMES WERE STUDIED TO DISCOVER WHETHER THEY WERE CAUSES OR CONSEQUENCES OF DRUG ADDICTION. SOCIAL FACTORS FAVORING DRUG ABUSE WERE FOUND TO BE LOSS OR MORAL VALUES AND WEAKENING OF FAMILY TIES, WHILE ECONOMIC CAUSES LEADING TO DRUGS WERE FOUND AMONG THE DISADVANTAGED AND OTHERWISE ECONOMICALLY HANDICAPPED. DRUG USERS WERE ALSO IDENTIFIED AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE EASY ACCESS TO DRUGS (MEDICAL PERSONNEL OF ALL TYPES) OR COMPELLING REASONS FOR USING DRUGS (ROCK MUSICIANS AND FANS, HOMOSEXUALS, PROSTITUTES AND PROCURERS, ARTISTS OF ALL KINDS). DRUGS MOST WIDELY USED ARE MARIJUANA, BARBITURATES, HALLUCINOGENS, AND COCAINE. CHIEF RECOMMENDATIONS EMPHASIZE (1) DRUG PREVENTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, (2) CRIMINAL LAW REFORMS, (3) THE UPGRADING OF MORAL VALUES, (4) IMPROVEMENT OF THE LIVING STANDARDS OF THE SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY HANDICAPPED, AND (5) THE LAUNCHING OF A WORLDWIDE, COMBINED EFFORT TO ELIMINATE DRUG SMUGGLING AND DRUG TRAFFIC. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE CURRENT DRUG PROBLEM AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. --IN SPANISH. (LGR)